Norm Duke

He captured his 39th PBA title on February 24, 2019 at the PBA Indianapolis Open, defeating Jason Belmonte in the title match. A month shy of his 55th birthday, Duke became the third oldest player to win a standard PBA Tour event, behind John Handegard (57) and Buzz Fazio (winner of two titles at age 56). One week later, he won his 40th PBA Tour title at the PBA Jonesboro Open, becoming the third player in history to win 40 PBA Tour titles (after Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Earl Anthony). It was also the first time in Duke's career that he had ever won PBA titles in back-to-back weeks. A testament to Duke's versatility, both victories were on mixed lane conditions, with the left lane and right lane featuring different lengths and layouts of oil. In 2019, Duke posted the most cashes (20) and match-play appearances (17) on the PBA Tour since his 2005 season, and his highest earnings since 2008.

Duke had earned 33 PBA standard titles as of June 2019.

Duke had earned seven PBA major titles as of June 2019.

Duke had earned three PBA50 standard titles as of June 2019.

Duke had earned two PBA50 major titles as of June 2019.

Duke currently owns 40 PBA Tour titles, including seven majors: one ABC Masters, one PBA Tournament of Champions, two United States Opens, and three PBA World Championships. By virtue of having won each of these four majors, Duke is one of only three bowlers in Tour history to complete the career Grand Slam, along with fellow Hall-of-Famer Mike Aulby and all-time major titles record holder Jason Belmonte. His 38th title on February 15, 2015 put him in sole possession of third-place on the PBA's all-time titles list. Duke's career PBA Tour earnings eclipsed $3 million in the 2011-12 season, making him just the third PBA bowler at the time (along with Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Pete Weber) to surpass the $3 million mark in career prize money. Parker Bohn III has since also joined the $3 million club. Duke's career earnings have now topped $3.6 million (as of 2019). Duke made multiple TV Finals appearances every season from 1990 through 2015. (He made only one TV finals appearance in 2016.) He has won at least two titles in a season nine times, including a career-best five titles in 1994.

In 2014, Norm won two PBA50 titles, including the Senior U.S. Open, in his first season on the PBA50 Tour. For his efforts, he won both PBA50 Rookie of the Year and PBA50 Player of the Year honors. He is one of only two PBA50 players (with Tom Baker) to win both awards in the same season. In 2016, he won his third PBA50 title and second PBA50 major at the PBA50 World Championship. He has since won two more standard titles on the PBA50 Tour, in 2017 and 2018.

Duke's 37th title on the PBA Tour came in 2012 at the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs. He joined the PBA50 Tour (formerly PBA Senior Tour) in 2014, while continuing to compete in selected events on the standard PBA Tour. His 38th title on the standard PBA Tour came in the 2014 Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, where he partnered with Wes Malott for the win.

Duke began the 2008-09 season by again winning the PBA World Championship. Continuing on his success from the previous season's sweep of the final two majors, he accomplished something never before done by any professional bowler: win three consecutive major tournaments. The streak ended when he failed to make the TV finals for the 2009 Tournament of Champions. On April 5, 2009, Duke narrowly missed an opportunity to become just the fifth bowler to repeat as champion at the U.S. Open. He qualified as the #1 seed, but was upset in the final by Mike Scroggins, 191-173. Duke eventually did win a second U.S. Open on February 27, 2011.

The 2007-08 season started slowly for Duke, as he battled illness on top of a series of injuries through the first half. Standing 51st in points and with his Tour exemption in jeopardy, he put together a furious finish by winning two majors in the final five weeks of the season. On February 24, 2008, he won his second career PBA World Championship to lock up a 2008-09 exemption. Then on March 30, he won the U.S. Open and joined Mike Aulby and Billy Hardwick as the only bowlers to ever complete a PBA career "grand slam" (U.S. Open, PBA World Championship, Tournament of Champions and ABC/USBC Masters). He is also one of only six bowlers to complete the PBA career Triple Crown (U.S. Open, Tournament of Champions and PBA World Championship).

Norm completed perhaps his best season in 1994, winning five titles including his second career major, at the Tournament of Champions, and also winning PBA Player of the Year honors. He was also the winner of the PBA Player of the Year award in 2000, capturing three titles that year, including his third career major by winning the PBA World Championship. Duke became a member of the USBC Hall of Fame in 2002, and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in January 2009.

In 1983, less than a year after turning pro, Duke won a title in Cleveland, OH to become the youngest player ever to win a PBA Tour event (age 18 years, 345 days). On that day, Duke started from the No. 5 seed and defeated four bowlers to take the championship, including a victory over the legendary Earl Anthony in Duke's first-ever televised match. Oddly, Duke would not win his second PBA title until 1991, but his career took off from there. He won two titles in the 1993 season, including his first major at the USBC Masters.

Norm Duke (born March 25, 1964) is an American professional bowler currently competing on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour and the PBA50 Tour. He has won 40 titles on the PBA Tour, including seven major championships, and another five titles (two of them majors) on the PBA50 Tour. A member of both the PBA and USBC Halls of Fame, Duke is one of only three players in history to reach 40 career PBA Tour titles. He has bowled 73 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003.